China’s Basketball Culture

One of the first things I remember being shocked by when I walked around my new home in China was the culture of basketball among university students. This was an era when there were a few Chinese players in the NBA that students were obsessed with and, of course, they all loved Kobe. Before moving to China, I had no idea that basketball was a popular sport there. Like most people, I probably would have assumed soccer was the top sport. Don’t get me wrong, soccer is extremely popular, but pales in comparison to the popularity of basketball. 

Just a short walk from my apartment was the main outdoor basketball court on the campus. I remember being mesmerized the first time I saw it. It was huge! There must have been ten basketball goals lined down both sides of the massive concrete slab. On most days, when the weather would permit, every court would be full of students, mostly guys, playing basketball together. As with every basketball court in the world, there was the section of players who were good, the section of players who were not very good but still doing their best Kobe impression, and then there was the section of the really terrible players who knew they were terrible but were having fun together regardless. 

One day I mustered up the courage to walk out onto the court to try to figure out the cultural norms for getting into a game. Having played my fair share of pickup basketball in high school and college, I was well aware that the “house rules” change depending on where you are. I had no clue of the house rules. I quickly found out the house rules mattered little. 

As I walked onto the court, probably looking very lost and confused, a group of students called out to me. Based on my brief observation, this was the court for the good players. We played, never kept score, but the competition was great! We played for an hour or so, worked up a good sweat, and I bonded with a couple of the guys.

I remember walking away from the court thinking to myself, “If this is how life in China is going to go, I could live here forever.”

I had been instantly accepted into a group of guys. No one questioned my basketball ability and everyone was just there to have a good time. But, let’s be honest, they were impressed that this skinny white guy could school them on a basketball court! :) 

I went back to that court almost every day. I absolutely loved the culture of basketball among university-aged guys. Those were some of my most fun and carefree days that I’ll always remember.